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    Central Provisions

    4.3 (1.4k reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 2:00 pm, 5:00 PM - 9:30 PM

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    CENTRAL PROVISIONS ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Trendy
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Central Provisions

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    Beet Salad
    Katie E.

    After getting into Portland late on a Friday evening, we were wandering the streets around our hotel and decided to pop into Central Provisions for dinner. Little did we know we were lucking into such an incredible local favorite! We were able to snag a spot by the windows upstairs with no wait, but the place was packed by the time we left, so I'd guess you typically want a reservation. We started out with a couple of cocktails which we loved. They also had a great craft beer and wine selection for round two. Before I say anything else, I have to give our server a shoutout! I don't remember his name unfortunately, but he was SO nice and gave a bunch of great recommendations. Service was also super quick despite how busy it was. For our meal, the menu is all small plates, so we shared the spicy beef salad, beet salad, rigatoni, and bone marrow toast. Every single dish was a home run, but the raw spicy beef salad was definitely our favorite. I've never tried anything quite like it--our server described it as "refreshingly spicy" which was pretty spot on. Such a great balance of fresh flavors and savory spiciness. I'd come back just for that dish alone! The space itself is super cozy and welcoming, you get the vibe it's a favorite among tourists and locals alike. Will definitely be back the next time I'm in town, this ended up being one of our favorite meals of the trip!

    Mushroom
    Nat P.

    Came here for dinner with a great experience from start to finish! Actually have been here before and each visit has been consistently excellent. The décor remains cozy and intimate and I love that you can sit by the bar and watch your food being prepared. For appetizers, we started with their Bluefin Tuna Crudo, which was buttery and tender. It just felt so fresh and melted in my mouth. I love that sauce that came with it. We also had the duck thigh and this dish was one we devour quick. It was crispy, light, and whatever sauce that was in there was amazing! The mushrooms was another standout. They were cooked perfectly and packed with deep flavor. But the star of the appetizer was the bread + butter. Their sourdough bread is literally one of the best sourdough I've had. Just incredible bread baked perfectly. Absolute heaven! We also got the Flank Steak a la Plancha which was beyond words. Just blew me away with how perfect it was. Everything was paired so well in here and each bite was just so memorable! The Seared Foie Gras was very rich, velvety, and melted in my tongue. But it needed bread. So we asked the server for that sourdough bread to pair with this and she was so nice to give us a few slices! We finished off with dessert, which we got the frozen chocolate mousse and this was the perfect ending to a spectacular meal. It was so smooth and rich. I wish I could have ordered another but I was so full at the time. Overall, wonderful experience and will come back again!

    Olivia F.

    Hands down one of the best lunches I've had in a while, I almost came back the same day for dinner! Loved the tapas style so we could try a variety of plates. We ordered the half dozen oysters, chopped salad, CP fries, bone marrow toast, lamb burger, and the duck confit grilled cheese. The oysters literally blew our mind - they were cold and were perfect sweet and spicy. We could have easily finished a dozen. The chopped salad was amazing a good for balance. The CP fries were the only thing we could have passed on. The bone marrow toast was incredible!! It's fighting for first place with the oysters. Cheesey, rich, and oniony on amazing bread. The grilled cheese was also amazing - so cheesy, the duck was tender, bread was toasty, and fig jam balanced it all. The tables inside are smaller and I would definitely recommend a reservation especially if you want a window seat.

    Becca D.

    My final dinner during my first visit to Portland was simply amazing! I had made some new friends at a bar earlier in the day and when I asked their suggestions on a final nice meal, Central Provisions was a resounding YES! I got there around 5pm without reservations and the upstairs was pretty booked up but as usual, I asked to sit at the bar. So I headed downstairs to this cute bar area and set up shop for an amazing meal! The bartender was awesome and engaging, gave me lots of reccs for both drinks and food, and I just generally had a wonderful time chatting with him. I got a few different small plates - artichokes, turnips, and suckling pig. The pig was absolutely amazing but the surprise 5 star dish was the turnips that were on special that evening! They were SO good, and unlike any turnips I had ever had before! Artichokes were delicious too, everything was simply amazing. I had a few different cocktails that were also very yum, but the punch of the day which was neon blue in its cute little teacup had me smiling! If you're looking for a spot that's great for a special occasion or just your own personal splurge, Central Provisions is definitely the place to be! So glad I stopped in here before heading out of Portland!

    Anastasia S.

    We came in here before end of our night to grab a Maine Lunch Beer and Espresso Martini and my husband who doesn't like espresso martini wanted mine. It had cocoa powder and tasted like liquefied chocolate it was delicious!

    Browne Point Oysters, Maine
    Katherine C.

    My friend and I had raw oysters, caviar, bread and butter, bone marrow toast, and pickles. We were lucky enough to sit at the bar and got to watch the chefs do their thing. The food came out in waves and everything was tasty. Nothing memorable though, I did have higher hopes based on the reviews. But I was a fun experience and I was able to try a lot of new foods! The server was knowledgeable and checked in on us regularly. The vibe is upscale with a fun atmosphere. Definitely felt like I could be at a tapas bar in Europe.

    Menu
    Ellen B.

    My first time to Central Provisions and it did not disappoint! The menu consist of small plates, which are shareable. Everything we had was full of flavor, but the portion size was perfect for sharing with two. 4 plates and a glass of wine or 2 did the trick. We started with a black pepper popover with butternut squash butter special. Crispy, melt-in-your-mouth yummy. My favorite item was the blue fin tuna crudo. The fish was like butter with a flavorful soy sauce. I could've eaten a whole 'nother tray of that by myself! Next item was the beet salad with big chunks of red and yellow beets with a few greens. Very fresh. Last item was beef marrow toast. Salty, and very rich and so good! Even though these are small plates, the meal for two still ended up about $116 before tip. Waitstaff are true professionals and are attentive and nice. Small intimate space. I definitely will be back!

    CP Frites
    Riddhi G.

    The food and service was amazing! It was very cozy! We sat at the bar so got to see all the prep from the kitchen which we always find interesting. Some of our fav in terms of drinks were Rebel Rabbit and Unleash the Lion. The food was really delicious! Some favs: Peekytoe crab and Oysters Escabeche. You def want to make a reservation!

    Perfect location by the back of the bar
    Taals B.

    Perfect little store to get small bites. It was so filling. We got to sit by the back which faced the cobbled streets, it was fun to watch people walking past and also all kinds of shoes service was good , could've been a bit better but I guess it was good for Saturday night

    Bone Marrow Toast
    Molly H.

    A belated review from a visit in early August; my husband and I visited without a reservation and dined in the downstairs bar area. It was intimate and elegant but unstuffy. We were seated at the window, with a lovely view for people watching and taking in the old port evening while enjoying great drinks and great food. I really enjoyed my Gibson Girl martini, as well as my glass of sparkling wine! The snap pea salad and the lobster and soba noodle dish were deliciously fresh, and the bone marrow toast was out of this world. Our server likened it to "French onion soup on toast", which was accurate! We really enjoyed the ambiance and lack of hurriedness in our experience, and loved everything we ordered. I highly recommend for a lovely meal in Old Port!

    Shawn H.

    Always a pleasure! I had dinner on my last visit but we went for brunch this time. The bar area was almost full. It's more of a tapas place and we were really hungry so we didn't order much but the beet salad was the best seasoned beet dish I've ever had. I can never say enough good things about this place. I always leave happy and looking forward to my next visit to Portland. This, Street & Co, and Eventide are the obvious "must dine" spots for good reason. The way every ingredients plays a part in making a heavenly harmonious dish is a work of art. Service has always been good. I love the open kitchen concept straight at the bar. We even bought a spice specifically created by Skordo for central provisions!

    Rebel Rabit
    Lindsay M.

    My husband and I had a nice dinner at Central Provisions. The service was friendly and attentive and the food and drinks came quickly. The food was definitely very good. Our favorite was the bone marrow toast, which we'd absolutely recommend trying. The restaurant is cozy and the seating limited but we were able to get a reservation pretty easily! That said, at the price point I expected a little more overall. If the cost were slightly less, I wouldn't hesitate to say it was excellent but it did feel a bit steep for what we got, and I'm very willing to spend some money on good food. I'd still recommend it for a special night out or if you're curious to try some unique dishes in Portland!

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    Lucky Cheetah - Sichuan Cucumbers

    Lucky Cheetah

    4.2(75 reviews)
    0.1 miOld Port

    The Lucky Cheetah is an absolutely amazing place! Think delicious dim sum with a twist combined…read morewith a fun tiki bar vibe combined with a sophisticated retro speakeasy décor and ambiance. What could be better than a dumpling lounge? We just went for the first time and were blown away. The ambiance of the place is unique. It feels like a chic timeless but retro speakeasy with the fun atmosphere of a tiki bar. Dark red and black colors, floral art, Art Deco chandeliers, lacquered tables, kitsch and fun cheetah lamps and statues. It immediately put a smile on our faces. The food is also unique. Dim sum for dinner but with more sophisticated twists and better quality than you'll find in most Chinatowns. You start by getting a dish with three different dipping sauces for the dumplings. The hot and sour soup was rich in peanut flavor, filled with tofu, mushrooms, and seaweed, with a cumulative little kick of spiciness. It was a great start and a major cut above anything we've ever had in a Chinese restaurant. The sichuan cucumber salad are Chinese cucumbers innovatively cut into a spiral like a slinky or coil spring. You pick them up with chopsticks and they spring up and down! Served in a horseradish and pepper coulis, they had a spicy kick. Don't miss the mojo baby corn. It's grilled, crispy, and addictive. You'll want a bucket of it when watching a movie. Steamed soup dumplings are filled with ham or prosciutto, a nicely salty and meaty twist on the standard ones. Steamed mushroom and truffle dumplings are probably the closest to traditional dim sum, rich, flavorful, and packed with shrooms. Crab and lobster lucky bags were deep fried wontons filled with a mix of ground lobster and crab, on a bed of crème fraiche with scallions. A great contrast with the crispy salty shell and soft filling! Our favorite was the sesame beef bao. They look like the traditional sesame balls in Chinese restaurants, crispy on the outside, pillowy soft inside but filled with brisket! They were mouth wateringly delicious! There was a selection of larger entrée plates that looked good (fried rice, lo mein, crispy chicken) that we didn't try but will next time. The drink menu was three pages long. Every kind of creative cocktail you can imagine, a long list of wines and sparking drinks, at prices from reasonable to 'special occasion.' For the atmosphere and ambiance, it seemed like cocktails or sparkling wine went best. All the staff and the manager couldn't have been nicer and more welcoming. They made us feel like old friends. Their warmth was genuine, we were sincerely touched by their friendliness. We were smiling and laughing the whole time, and amazed at how delicious the food was. It's unique. It's so much more than just a delicious meal. Going here is truly an experience, one that we'll remember for a long time and want to repeat often. It's an incredibly special place, and you feel special being here. You won't find a place like this outside of New York City, but here it is in Portland. We're going to go back often and regularly.

    TLDR; Food was good/fine. Service and ambiance were great…read more Interior and service were phenomenal. Our waiter was very helpful and enthusiastic without being overbearing. Interior was clean (including the bathrooms) and had a nice fun quirkiness to it. The food, while good, fell a bit short for me. Money bag: This was great. Both my wife and I loved it. Their take on money bag was different and it worked well. The fact that cream cheese was on the outside left more room inside for the meats, and we could choose how much cream cheese we had. Soup dumpling: Also great. While delicious, nothing was special about the dish. Spicy lobster lo mein: This was a bit of a letdown. Not sure if this is usually how it comes out, but the noodles were chopped to such small lengths that it was easier to eat them with spoon than chopsticks. The sauce, while clean and properly seasoned, tasted a bit too clean, almost to the point of being bland. The lobster didn't really add anything to the noodle/sauce and just felt like it was dropped in there. Overall, we still had a great time, but it was a bummer that the main dish was such a letdown.

    Photos
    Lucky Cheetah - Decor in the back room

    Decor in the back room

    Lucky Cheetah - Sweet & sour cod

    Sweet & sour cod

    Lucky Cheetah - Sweet & sour cod

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    Sweet & sour cod

    Papi

    Papi

    4.4(108 reviews)
    0.0 miOld Port
    $$

    After a few days of eating ourselves silly on seafood, my fiance & I were dying to find something…read moredifferent. We didn't expect to find good Puerto Rican food in Portland, but I'm so glad we found this local gem! Reservations are recommended; they were still packed during the off season. We were lucky enough to snag two seats at the bar during dinner time without a wait. The bartender is super friendly and gave us some excellent food recommendations. We ordered the beef empanadas, pernil, and pollo guisado. Everything was DELICIOUS. The beef empanada filling is hard to beat - this might be one of the best ones I've had yet. We both really enjoyed the pernil & pollo guisado, but the soup was probably my favorite. I'm a soup gal, and this was just a hearty and excellent bowl of soup. Pernil portions were very generous. Definitely a highlight of our trip!

    As a latina visiting Portland, I searched for Spanish food in the area and this place came up! I…read morewas pleasantly surprised and did not expect to eat at a Puerto Rican restaurant. I Gotta say it smelled soo good. Just like my mommas kitchen. The atmosphere was incredible, it was upscale yet cozy. The food was really good too.. The empanadas were very tasty and in also ordered tacos and corn fritters that were delicious as well. Only thing i didnt like is that their rice had an insane amount of olives for the serving size. I counted 18 olives in a small serving. I mean I dont mind olives but not that much. I ordered rice with guandules and I feel I got rice with olives. I honestly had a very good experience here and would definately come back if im ever in the area again.

    Photos
    Papi - Interior looking towards entrance

    Interior looking towards entrance

    Papi
    Papi - Bar

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    Bar

    Central Provisions - tapasmallplates - Updated June 2026

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